From time to time we add to our collection of articles that we hope prove useful, not only to our customers but any walkers and outdoor enthusiasts out there. If you have any suggestions for articles you would like to see do let us know and we may be able to write one for you. All these articles are written by Thistle Trekking Staff with a wealth of knowledge and experience in working in the outdoor industry.
West Highland Way Pocket Guide.
This mini guide has been written for anyone walking The West Highland Way. Over the years I have gathered a lot of local knowledge while walking…
Cape Wrath Trail: A Short History
We have guided many groups through the challenging and every changing landscape of the Cape Wrath Trail. This article gives a little insight into how the trail came in to being.
These Boots are Made for Walking
The walking boot has been a companion to the long-distance walker for millennia; protecting the feet of centurions on the wall and hikers – on its ruins – from the same bitter border weather, supporting the tired ankles of pack-men and …
Training for The West Highland Way.
We often get asked what is the best way to train for a West Highland Way Trek? Now, this will of course depend on your own own personal fitness and…
LYME DISEASE – What is it & how can we reduce the risks while walking this summer?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, which can be extremely serious if it isn’t diagnosed at an early stage. The disease is caused by bacteria of …
The Golden Eagle
To see a Golden Eagle in flight is still one of the best wildlife experiences you can have in the UK. Watching them, holding their wings in a casual V-shape and floating up and down on thermals, is to immediately connect with something timeless …
Ben Nevis – The Tallest Mountain in the UK
350 million years ago a huge active volcano exploded spewing hot lava, ash and gases from the earths crust into the atmosphere. The explosion was so violent that the volcano collapsed in on itself. The remains of that volcano…
How to Take a Bearing Using a Map and Compass.
When it comes to navigation most people learn how to take a bearing quite early on. It is a simple but effective navigational tool…
Common Wildflowers on Long Distance Trails
Thistle Trekking has a variety of long distance guided walks that span the UK including the Cape Wrath Trail and West Highland Way in Scotland, The Snowdonia Way and Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales and the South Downs …
Why Use Trekking Poles?
Trekking poles are something we recommend to every walker who joins one of our treks. In this article we look at why we do that and give you a few pointers for purchasing and using your first pair of poles.
How to Survive the Midge!
Since I spend nearly every day in the summer outside in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, I have had more than my fair share of midge bites! However, over the years I have found some of the best ways…
Top Ten Tips for The West Highland Way
There is a very good chance that Scarlet has guided more West Highland Way walks than anyone else in the UK, she guides it about 6 times a year. Below are her top 10 tips for a happy…
Troubled Soles – Foot Blisters and What to Do About Them
A foot blister is a pocket of serum that develops over small tears in the layers of skin that cover our feet. Eventually the fluid is reabsorbed by new skin and the blister disappears. Despite being …
The Benefits of Walking
A quick Internet search, “the benefits of walking”, will throw up enumerable reasons to go for a walk. Through frequent walking you can look forward to increased general fitness, decreased chance …
The Wildlife of Skye
The Isle of Skye is quoted as being a “special place” in numerous blogs, guidebooks and websites. This year I visited the isle for the first time with Thistle Trekking and it is special …
Geology of The Northwest Highlands
Driving north from Fort William on the busy A82 trunk road towards Inverness, you enter a very long valley, bounded on both sides by steep, wooded hillsides and with a series of lochs along its base, including the world-famous Loch Ness. This valley is known as the Great Glen …
Favourite Facts on the Skye Trail
The Isle of Skye (or An t-Eilean Sgitheanach to give the island it’s gaelic name!) is one of the Scottish Inner Hebrides and sits just off the northwest coast of the Scottish mainland. It is famed for it’s culture and spectacular scenery and …
Your 1st Wild Camp (Equipment And What To Expect)
As a freelance outdoor instructor, what keeps me occupied for part of the spring and summer is working with Duke of Edinburgh groups. Here in Scotland we don’t use campsites very often, so most of my nights out are spent wild camping. …
The West Highland Way: A short History
The West Highland Way is now 40 years old and famous around the world. As Scotland’s first official long-distance walking route it has grown and grown in popularity since its inception in 1980. Over the last 40 years thousands have hiked the 96 mile (154km) route…
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